Residential play worker jobs
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Come join an incredible team using joy, adventure and the outdoors to transform the mental health of London's most disadvantaged children. We're looking for someone a little bit special who believes in the deep potential of children who are not thriving elsewhere in life.
The position is a dual role. You’ll join as one of three dedicated Youth Workers and will lead on a portion of Free to Be Kids’ year-round follow-on support for vulnerable young people who we have already engaged via our Thrive Outside residentials. Crucially, a core aspect of the role will be leading an average of 8-10 of our residential projects across each year - working on the ground with the children, leading the volunteers, and helping make the projects special, safe, and transformative for vulnerable young people, many of whom have complex needs. You’ll be joining a small staff team of 9, supplemented by a vibrant and committed group of volunteers.
Attendance at approximately 8-10 five-six night residential projects per year outside London is a core component of this role. A full driving licence is not required but may be an advantage.
Watch our 2 min introductory video to see the power of what we do. https://bit.ly/ASummaryOfOurWork
On offer to the right candidate:
Salary: Circa £29,000-£32,000, dependent on experience.
Hours: Fulltime: 37.5 hours per week. Essential attendance on at c.8-10 residential projects a year.
Leave: 25 days per year, plus bank holidays and up to 13 additional pre-set discretionary reward days in September and during the Christmas period.
Other benefits: 4% employer pension contribution paid on full base salary, rising by 1% per year of service, up to a maximum of 7%, hybrid working, office with great transport links, flexible working (outside core hours), employee reward scheme, a tight-knit effective team with great morale.
Based: Hybrid – our small office in Waterloo, London. Hybrid working is well established with the majority of the team splitting time around 50:50 between the office and home.
To start: February-March 2026
.
Who we’re looking for:
Our next Youth Work hero. You'll be fun, active, energised, resilient, and experienced in work with young people with complex needs, and looking to join an organisation you can believe in and who in return will believe and invest in you.
You’ll have multi years’ experience working alongside young people who might struggle in other settings and will be used to dealing with a range of behaviours and complex support needs, ideally including mental health support needs,with a good understanding of safeguarding. A basic level of comfortableness in the outdoors, resilience to keep going with a smile when it's wet outside, and the silliness to be the first to jump into the lake will see you in good stead for this role.
You’ll have the flexibility to work away from home on up to 10 week-long residential projects per year. Ideally, you’ll also have experience of leading projects for children – whether residential or non-residential. Experience of working on or leading residentials projects themselves is not required but may be an advantage.
We are a small, vibrant, fun and friendly staff team of 9, growing to 11 when these 2 Youth Worker vacancies are filled, supported by a committed volunteer base of around 200.
We are particularly keen to encourage applications from those who can help us represent the lived experiences of our children through their own lived experience or background.
To apply:
See full Job Description & Person Specification on our website.
Send all 3 application elements in one email to the address within the application pack by the closing date of 8pm, Tuesday 13th January 2026.
- CV or up to date LinkedIn profile.
- A short introductory video of 1-3 minutes (maximum) showing your vibrancy, fit for the role, recapping your existing experience, and telling us something interesting about yourself! (Top tips: Keep it fast paced and lively; shorter may be better; touch on the person characteristics set for the role; something filmed quickly on your phone which feels organic is what we’re looking for.) As this is a people facing role the video’s purpose is to help bring life to your application, whilst helping us filter out solely AI written ones. We want to get a strong sense of YOU as we are looking for FIT with the organization, as well as experience.
- (optional) A short (1 side max) cover letter to bring your application to life.
Selection Process and Timeline:
Selection will be via two stage interview. As there is only a short turnaround from application closure on 13th January to 1st stage interviews 8th-9th January, we will assess applications and offer interview slots throughout the window. However, you will not be disadvantaged if you need to wait till the closing date to submit.
1st stage interviews: Monday 19th - Wednesday 21st January (virtual). We may offer some interview slots throughout the window but you will not be disadvantaged if you need to wait till towards the deadline to apply.
2nd stage final interviews: Wednesday 28th - Thursday 29th th January (in-person, London Waterloo)
Please hold interview dates as alternates dates are unlikely to be available.
The role requires an Enhanced DBS check and existing right to work in the UK.
If you have any questions about the role, contact us via our website and we’d be happy to arrange an informal chat. We look forward to hearing from you!
Registered Charity
6 - 10
Using joy, adventure and the outdoors to transform particularly vulnerable London children's mental health.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
For 30 years, XLP has helped thousands of young people aged 11 - 25 across inner-city London and the City of London, through mentoring, employability support, schools work and community-based support.
Our mission is to engage in long-term relationships that empower young people who experience a range of challenges and barriers to complete their education, avoid anti-social behaviour and ultimately become independent and confident contributors within their communities.
We have an exciting opportunity for a full time Senior Youth Worker to join the team. The role will be based in our East team which currently works in the boroughs of Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
We're looking for a kind, empathetic and resilient Refugee Children's Worker to join our Homelessness and Complex needs Service in Tower Hamlets.
£14,000.00 per annum, working 20 hours per week.
Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
* Online wellbeing resources
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.
Are you looking for a rewarding role working with families who have fled domestic abuse? We are looking for friendly and diligent individuals to join our refuge team.
This is a fixed term contract until May 2026 with possibility of extension
What you'll do:
* To ensure that the needs of children and young people in the refuge are assessed as part of admission and the duration of their stay
* To plan and implement a programme of therapeutic and recreational activities for children and young people living both at the refuge and in the community, as well as play-work and activity trips
* To provide individual, age-appropriate key working sessions for children of all ages. With a focus on safeguarding, including risk and safety planning, emotional & physical health & wellbeing, education and social & family networks
* To encourage and support mothers to build loving and consistent relationships with their children
This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead
About you:
* Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour
* Prefers working as part of a group or team
* Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
* Flexible
* Open to feedback and self-development
* Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
* Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments Mission & Values 'Working with people to make choices, achieve goals and take control of their live through high quality care, support and housing'
What you'll bring:
Essential:
* A recognised qualification in childcare such as NVQ level 3, NNEB/DCE,
* Experience of working with children of all ages
* Experience of working with children who've experienced domestic abuse
* Ability to communicate effectively with children of different ages and backgrounds, and help them communicate their experiences
* Experience of planning, facilitating, evaluating and recording group play
* Experience of writing Reports
* Ability to work flexibly around working hours
Desirable:
* Experience of working with children in a residential setting
* Experience of delivering domestic abuse recovery programmes
* Experience of coproducing delivery outcomes and gathering evidence in accordance with them
About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.
If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.
Please see our website for full Job description
Thank you!
Job Title: Community Centre Manager
Location / Salary / Contract:
Location: Southwark
Salary: £45,000-£49,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent, Full-time (37 hours per week, with some evening and weekend work)
The Opportunity:
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and dynamic Community Centre Manager to lead the operations, programming, and partnership development of a vibrant community space serving both residents and the wider neighbourhood. This is a hands-on role suited to an energetic and organised individual who thrives on community engagement, service excellence, and creating meaningful opportunities for older adults and intergenerational groups. You will play a central role in developing and managing programmes that enhance wellbeing, build community connections, and promote inclusion within an elderly residential care setting.
Key Responsibilities:
• Manage all community centre spaces, ensuring they are well-presented, welcoming, and fully utilised.
• Oversee the programming and scheduling of diverse activities that support organisational goals and community engagement.
• Lead on income generation through effective room hire management and budget oversight.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with voluntary, statutory, and business organisations to enhance programme delivery.
• Supervise and support staff, volunteers, and casual workers to deliver high-quality services and activities.
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety, Fire Safety, and Safeguarding requirement
The Candidate:
You will be a proactive and empathetic leader with experience managing community facilities or similar public-facing spaces. With excellent organisational, financial, and communication skills, you will have the ability to balance community priorities with commercial needs. You should have a solid understanding of health and safety compliance, staff supervision, and partnership development. A passion for creating inclusive and engaging environments for older people and the wider community is essential.
How to Apply:
If the above role sounds interesting and you feel like you meet the criteria, please apply immediately. Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the stated closing date.
